Seal.



No. 655,713. Patented Aug. 14', 1900.

. o. F. JORDAN.

SEAL.

(Application filed m 1.4, 1899.]

(No Model.)

W I 'I'NESSES IN 1 EN TOR imam Pnzas 00., mmqm uou wksmnsrou. o. c.

OSWALD F. JORDAN, OF JACKSON, MICHIGAN.

SEAL.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 5,713, dated Apg'ust 14, 1900 Application filed July 14,1899. Serial No. 723,780. (No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OSWALD F. JORDAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at J ackson, county of Jackson, State of Michigan, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Seals; and I declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

This invention relates to seals, and has to its object an improved automatic-catching seal adapted to be used for sealing cars and for similar uses. The seals which are commonly used to prevent the improper opening of a door, and especially to prevent the improper opening of car-doors, are not commonly arranged to securely lock the door; but they are simple structures very easily destroyed, but so arranged that if destroyed or injured in such a way as to break the seal and allow the door to be opened the seal cannot be rearranged, but will show plainly that it has been broken.

The seal which eni%odies this invention is composed of one or more pieces of tin or one or more pieces of similar sheet metal, one of which comprises the loop or sealing strip that passes through some part or parts of the lock to the door and the other of which is a guard that covers the two ends of theloop. One end of the looped part is made fast in the guard, and this end, which is covered by the guard, is provided with hooks, one of which overlaps the other, and the point of the overlapping hook points to the closed end of the guard tube. The free end of the loop is provided with a hole, and this end of the loop strip is adapted to engage over the overlapping hook and under the underlapping hook in such a way that after the engagement has once been made the parts cannot be disengaged without forcibly tearing them apart and destroying the seal.

In the drawings, Figure 1 shows the seal in perspective. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section showing the ends of the loop in sealing position within the guard. Fig. 3 is aback view of the guard. Fig. 4c shows the blank from which the guard is bent and shaped. Fig. 5

shows thetwo ends of the loop caught together in the position they would occupy if the guard were removed. Fig. 6 shows the construction of the catch end of the looped strip of metal.

The guard consists of a fiat tube made from a blank of sheet metal. One portion or of the blank A is left flat for the purpose of receiw ing the seal impression. This portion may be of any desired shape. Another portion Z) of the blank is originally cut in oblong shape and has stamped in itabout centrally a shallow circular cavity 0. The end (Z, which is to form the mouth of the tube, is bent in at the line cl, so that the mouth of the completed tube is strengthened by the double foldof metal produced by bending the metal back on itself. After the end is folded back the sides or wings I) and b of the blank are folded over and the one overlaps the other somewhat. Before the sides or wings b and b are folded over one end of the loop D, that has been previously punched and bent in the way hereinafter described, is placed on the blank, with the bent-up parts lying in the cavity 0. The sides I) and b are folded in. The hook part c on the strap is drawn to engage over the infolded side parts, and the side parts and hook e are secured together. The seal now consists of the tube A, at one end of which is the tag Ct or part to receive the seal impression and from the other end of which projects a strap of sheet metal. The end of the projecting part of sheet metal has a hole through it. The shape of the hole is immaterial. The cross-bar g of the strap, which lies between the hole and the end of the strap, is as long or slightly longer than the hook 7t, hereinafter described, and which is located on the fixed end of the strap.

That end of the strap which is to be fixed in the tube is provided with a hook 7t and a tongue 15. The hook is made by punching through the metal of the strap Don three sides 5 s 3 leaving the fourth side of the hook it connected to the metal of the strap. The

end of the strap which is to be fixed to the tube, and the hook and tongue are punched so closely together that when the point of the tongue is lifted a little and the hook is bent backward properly the point ot the tongue engages over the extreme end of the hook. The space underneath the hook is just deep enough to allow the end 19 of the strap to engage easily under it. I

The fixed end of the strap D is secured in the tube with the hook it and the tongue t, 1ying in the cavity c.' The point of the tongue t rises free from the hook it and readily engages through the hole g in the end 19 of the free end of the strap when that end of the strap is pushed into the tube.

To use the seal, the strap is placed through some part of the latch of the car-door in such a way that the car-door cannot be opened without removing the seal. The free end of the strap is then inserted in the tube and pushed into the tube until the cross-bar 9' passes beyond the end of the tongue t. The tongue t, the point of which has been pressed down by the free end of the strap to enable the cross-bar g to pass it, engages through the hole 9, and the strap cannot be again withdrawn from the tube. The first attempt to withdraw the strap draws the cross-bar 9 back under the tongue 25, and the cross-bar drops below the hook h, and it cannot be pushed in ward beyond the engagement of the front edge of the cross-bar with the neck of the hook, nor can any thin object be inserted either between the ends of the strap or at the outside of the strap, so as to force the tongue t back through the hole g, the tongue being prevented from passing through-the hole 9 because of the engagement between the point of the tongue and the bill of the hook.

What I claim is-- 1. In a seal, in combination with a tubular guard closed at one end, a strap one end of which is secured within the guard and the free end of which is provided with a hole near its extremity, a tongue and hook formed by bending outward portions of the strap, said tongue and hook being located within the guard, the said tongue having its point directed toward the closed end of. the guard, and the hook having its point directed toward the mouth end of the guard and underlying the point of the tongue, substantially as described.

2'. In a seal, in combination with a tubular guard provided with a tag attachment, a strap having one end fixed in the tubular guard, and provided in that part which is surrounded by the guard, with a hook, the bill of which points toward the mouth of the guard, and a tongue, the point of which lies toward and engages over the bill of said hook, and hav-' ing the other end provided with a hole, substantially as described.

3. In a seal, in combination with a Hat tubular guard having an enlargement in the chamber of the guard, a strap one end of which is fixed to the guard and is provided in the space within the enlarged portion of the chamber with a hook, the bill of which extends toward the mouth of the tube, and with a tongue, the point of which lies over the bill of the hook, the other end of said strap being provided with a hole adapted to engage over said tongue, substantially as described.

4. In a seal, in combination with a strap adapted to be bent 011 itself, a tubular guard provided with an inbent edge at the mouthopening, whereby the tube is strengthened, means arranged on one end of said strap for engaging the other end of said strap, the said tubular guard being arranged to engage closely around the two ends of the strap, and being provided with an-enlarged chamber to allow the locking parts of the seal to pass to the position of locking engagement, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof sign this specification'in the presence of two witnesses.

OSWALD F. JORDAN. 

